Hamburg SV vs Frankfurt – News and Probable Lineups

Hamburgo SV aims to break a losing trend on Tuesday as they host Eintracht Frankfurt at Volksparkstadion in the DFB-Pokal second round.

This fixture is among four all-Bundesliga encounters in this round of the cup, and both HSV and Die Adler will be eyeing their league match set for November 1.

Match overview

Merlin Polzin’s team began their league campaign with three straight losses, causing considerable concern among their supporters, but they bounced back with three consecutive wins.

Nonetheless, HSV’s unexpected streak was halted on Saturday when Felix Gotze, the younger sibling of Frankfurt’s Mario Gotze, scored in a 1-0 defeat to Paderborn.

Every defeat is disappointing, especially against a newly promoted side, but given the streaky nature of Polzin’s squad’s performance thus far, the head coach will be eager to prevent another unfavorable pattern from developing during the week.

Hamburgo advanced to this stage with a commanding 3-0 win over Verl, but it remains to be seen how the team’s rotated lineup can fare against a Bundesliga rival rather than a team from the 3. Liga.

No matter who plays, the home side will take heart from their record of winning two out of three competitive matches at Volksparkstadion this season, with their latest victory being 1-0 against Stuttgart.

Meanwhile, Adi Hutter’s Eintracht Frankfurt has also experienced an inconsistent start, managing only two wins in their eight matches across all competitions to date.

Die Adler were formidable in their first-round DFB-Pokal fixture, annihilating SC St Tonis 11-0 away in late August, a match that saw 10 goals in the first half, including a hat-trick from Jonathan Burkardt.

In contrast, Hutter’s side could only manage a single victory in their subsequent five outings, drawing twice and losing twice, notably suffering a 6-0 defeat to RB Leipzig on October 10.

Fortunately for Frankfurt, they rebounded by achieving their first clean sheet since their cup opener with a 1-0 win against FC Koln, although they are still searching for consistency after a 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

To establish some stability in midweek, Die Adler must maintain composure in defence, but after conceding 11 goals in their last four away matches, their supporters may feel anxious.

Team News

Hamburgo is likely to make significant changes, but they will be missing midfielders Bilal Nadir, who is nursing a muscle injury, and Nicolai Remberg, who sustained a cruciate ligament injury earlier this month.

In their absence, Albert Sambi-Lokonga may return to the starting XI after coming on as a substitute against Paderborn, joining Albert Gronbaek and Miro Muheim in the midfield.

Further forward, the versatile Fabio Vieira will be out of action, while striker Patson Daka is uncertain, with both working back from thigh injuries.

To fill the voids, Polzin may choose a forward pairing of Otto Stange and Terem Moffi, utilizing Yussuf Poulsen as a potential option from the bench.

On the other hand, Eintracht Frankfurt will be without the services of 18-year-old Malik Pimpong and fellow forward Jessie Ngankam, who is dealing with a thigh injury.

With that said, Younes Ebnoutalib might form a front pairing with Ansgar Knauff, supported by Mario Gotze, Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab, and Can Uzun.

Hamburgo SV probable starting XI:

Tangvik; Nandja, Bornauw, Omari; Jatta, Loconga, Gronbaek, Muheim, Lemke; Tin, Mold

Eintracht Frankfurt probable starting XI:

Cause; Baum, Koch, Brassier, Kosugi; He is destroyed; Amaimouni-Echghouyab, Uzun; Gotze; Ebnoutalib, Knauff

Hamburgo will be determined to prevent suffering back-to-back losses considering the pattern of their performance this season, and they should feel optimistic playing at home.

However, Frankfurt could pose a challenge, even if their defensive issues may ultimately become a hindrance.